Ho Thi May grew up in a poor Hmong family in Dien Bien Province. She is the eldest of eight children. Her childhood meals were often rice mixed with cassava. From the age of three or four, she carried younger siblings on her back. She decided to study hard to build a different future.
Near the end of high school, May heard about a free two-year program. It is run by KOTO, a social enterprise that supports disadvantaged young people. The course teaches job skills and conversational English. Her mother gave her just enough money for a bus ticket. At first, May was afraid of the modern kitchen equipment and of speaking English. Step by step, she gained confidence. Today, the 26-year-old works as a pastry baker in Hanoi. She helps support her parents and seven younger siblings.